2014 Ducati 899 Panigale Motorcycle – Video

For some of its recent history, Ducati has offered slightly-smaller-displacement versions of its flagship superbike. And given how successful the product strategy has been around the past, it will come as no real surprise that the 1199 Panigale will spawn a fresh understudy. Actually, it too will undoubtedly be called the Panigale.

But don’t assume that the 2014 899 Panigale is some overgrown moped in fancy dress outfits and wearing a respected nameplate. No, it’s nearly just as much of a thoroughbred as its your government. Actually, Ducati calls the 899 Panigale a “supermid” ( a variety of superbike and mid-size).

The 899 Panigale certainly appears like a superbike. The sinister dual headlights on the nose and the large expanses of bodywork look like almost directly copied from the more muscular Panigale. The aluminum monocoque chassis – to which theL-twin engine is bolted right to increase stiffness and reduce weight – can be located in the 1199’s design. The trunk swingarm, however, deviates from that of the senior Panigale: The brand new bike runs on the two-sided piece, as opposed to the 1199’s one-sided swingarm. Front suspension is really a 43mm Showa fork, as the rear features an adjustable Sachs monoshock. It’s all first-class, literbike-worthy stuff.

And despite the fact that it’s much less potent because the big Panigale, the 899 still packs an almighty wallop. The 898cc L-twin belongs to Ducati’s way-oversquare (i. e. the bore is longer compared to the stroke) Superquadro family, which is rated at 148 horsepower and 73 lb. -ft of torque. Power is delivered to the rear wheel by way of a multi-plate wet clutch, 6-speed transmission with the Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) system, and chain drive. That rear wheel, incidentally, is really a 10-spoke 17”x5. 5” alloy wearing a 180/60 ZR17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso Corsa tire. Leading wheel is really a similar 17”x3. 5” unit wrapped in a 120/70 ZR17 Pirelli. Braking is via dual discs in the front and an individual disc in the trunk, and ABS is standard (as are other electronic aids like traction control and an adjustable ride-by-wire throttle).

Ducati isn’t discussing performance figures at this time, but taking into consideration the 899 Panigale weighs just 426 lbs. filled with fluids, it’s probably with the capacity of reaching irresponsible velocities promptly. Ducati is dishing on pricing, however: The original red-with-black-wheels color scheme begins at $14, 995, as the striking white-with-red-wheels scheme begins at $15, 295. Expect U. S. deliveries of the un-underachiever to begin with by the finish of the following month.